Democracies at War Against Terrorism - (The Sciences Po International Relations and Political Economy) by S Cohen (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Numerous democratic nations have been singled out by NGOs for brutality in their modus operandi, for paying inadequate attention to civilian protection or for torture of prisoners. This book deals with the difficulties faced when conducting asymmetric warfare in populated areas without violating humanitarian law.

Review Quotes

Asymmetric war poses unique challenges to governments of all stripes. How should governments respond when their enemies use the rules governing war to their advantage by directly targeting and then hiding among the civilian population? This excellent new book draws from a historically and geographically diverse range of cases to shed new light on the practical moral dilemmas that confront decision-makers. It shows that governments can and do respond in different ways and helps highlight the factors that enable and inhibit recourse to rule-breaking behaviours such as torture or a lax attitude towards civilian casualties. Blending ethical insight with practical analysis, this is a must read for all those interested in the dilemmas of using force in the twenty-first century.

- Alexander Bellamy, Professor, Department of Politics, University of Queensland, Australia

This most welcome book explores the empirical conditions under which an ethics of some sort is justified and implemented in times of war against terrorism. Its reading will be more than useful to scholars and practitioners of international relations, political theorists and citizens who are not convinced that the use of 'soft power' solves all problems.

- Jean Luca, Professor (Emeritus) of Political Science at the Institute d Études Politiques de Paris, France

About the Author

Edited by SAMY COHEN is Research Director at CERI (Centre for International Studies and Research) Sciences Po, Paris, France. He is teaching at the Comparative Politics Master at Sciences Po, France. He is author of several books among which The Resilience of The State. Democracy and the Challenge of the Globalization, 2006; Mitterrand and the End of the Cold War, (ed.), 1998.